Sainsbury’s opens low emissions supermarket

The store uses natural gas and recycled water and has installed solar panels to hit zero emissions target

(Pic: Sainsbury’s)

UK retail giant Sainsbury’s opened its second zero emissions store yesterday in the English city of Leicester.

The store’s onsite energy generator uses natural gas and biogas, its water usage comes from rainwater harvesting and other water efficient initiatives, and instead of going to landfill, surplus food is either donated to local charities, made into animal feed or used for energy.

Sainsbury’s aims to be the UK’s Greenest Grocer and achieve its 20×20 target to reduce carbon emissions by 30% by building and running highly sustainable, low carbon stores.

“Our new ‘Triple Zero’ stores in Leicester and Weymouth Gateway are examples of how we’re achieving this, by using power generated from waste in our supply chain and ‘Water Neutral’, which includes offsetting partnerships in the local community,” Neil Sachdev, Sainsbury’s property director, said.

The 81,700 sq ft store also has 1,200 solar panels on its roof generating enough power for 200 TVs, electric vehicle charging points and natural CO2 refrigeration units for its chillers and freezers which reduces its carbon footprint by 33%.